In the role of the
minister, Kenneth Overton offers a remarkably understated performance.In both his command of this complex
character and his beautiful baritone voice, Overton is a magnetic presence.”

Kenneth Overton,
baritone

Baritone Kenneth Overton has
consistently received accolades for his rich gleaming voice and his many
layered, powerful interpretations. In 2008 Kenneth made his debut as Porgy in
Porgy and Bess at the famous Deutsche Oper Berlin in
the critically acclaimed production from Cape Town Opera in South Africa. He recently toured
the British Isles as Porgy in Living Arts’ Porgy and Bess and, in the same role, opened Opera Memphis' 51st
season.He also made his début recently
withStadttheater
Klagenfurt as Jake (Porgy and Bess)
and sang his first Escamillo (Carmen) with Missouri
Symphony Society, and well as Leporello (Don Giovanni) with Opera Memphis, Ping (Turandot) with
Sacramento Opera, Bello (La Fancuilla del West) with Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, as Bass soloist in Beethoven’s 9th
Symphony with the Annapolis Symphony
Orchestra, and as the Baritone soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs with the Oratorio Society of New Jersey. Mr. Overton performed the role of Stephen Kumalo in Lost in the
Stars with Skylark Opera. His
2008-9 engagements include debuts with the Norwalk Symphony (Messiah), The Paduka Symphony (Porgy) andreturned to Connecticut Opera as
Marcello in La Boheme, to the Duluth Superior Symphony in Vaughn
Williams’ “A Sea Symphony” Porgy with Opera Theatre Pittsburgh, and a
concertfeaturing Mahler, Copeland and
opera arias with the San Antonio Symphony. He also sang the lead in Opera Theatre
of Pittsburgh’s production of Porgy and Bess, a “magnificent” Gershwin evening
with Richmond Symphony, and sang Lawyer Frazier with the San Francisco Opera in
Porgy and Bess. Other recent engagements include
performances withNashville Opera, Chattanooga
Symphony and Opera, Phoenix Symphony, Duluth Superior Symphony, and San Antonio Symphony among
others.

2010-11 engagements
include the soloist in Handel's Messiah with The Norwalk Symphony, Verdi's Requiem
at MontclaireStateUniversity
and at The Cathedral Basilica in NJ. Kenneth also made his Pensacola Opera
debut this season in the world premier of David Ott'sThe Widow's
Lanternandreturned to Pensacola Opera as Joe(Showboat). He reprised the
role of Sharpless(Madama Butterfly) for
Opera
Memphis, and returned to San Francisco Opera as Sid (La Fanciulla del West) and sang withThe LithuanianState Symphony Orchestra. He
performed a gala with the Sarasota Symphony, and also sings Porgy with
Lexington Opera Society /U of Kentucky Opera Theater. In 2010 Kenneth
released his debut CD of Negro Spirituals and Afro-American Art Songs
for Albany Records' Mosaic Label. With Sarasota Symphony he performed a gala
evening of songs, andsingsPorgy with Kentucky
Opera Theatre in 2011. In addition, he serves as the Co-Founder and
Artistic Director of Opera Noire of New York

Recent performances include a
return to Connecticut Opera for Taddeo (L’Italiana in Algeri) and appeared as Sharpless
(Madama Butterfly) and Schaunard(La Boheme)
with Metro Lyric Opera (NJ).He also appeared as soloist in Schubert’s Mass in Ab
with the Summit Chorale Festival (NJ),
in addition to his Spain
tour with the American Spiritual
Ensemble.

Kenneth’s intelligence and
versatility have allowed him to excel in several modern works including Corps of Discovery by Michael Ching with Opera
Festival of New Jersey; Six
Characters by Hugo Weisgall; Nexus Arts (NY) The Gilded
Cage by Kioulaphides.With the Westfield
Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Overton was a featured soloist in Fascinatin’ Rhythm, a concert of George Gershwin
songs.He made his Carnegie Hall début
as Baritone soloist in Come Follow Me by
Jackson Berkey with Mid-America Productions.He was a winner of the Liederkranz Competition and a national winner of the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition.He
is also co-founder of Opera Noireof New York, a performing arts
organization created to empower African-American artists to reach their full
creative potential in a mutually supportive environment.